Porchlight Vol. 724 IS CLOSED

Have to tell you of the most amaziating kawinkydink. Got a birthday card from my
sister in Minnesota today. It features a picture of...a lizard!

This is a picture of the California Alligator Lizard that was involved in today's tragic
event. They are generally about 6 inches long, and considerably less dangerous than
a real alligator which may reach 15 feet and weigh half a ton.

Rock, I wouldn't mess with anything with "alligator" in its name. Sorry you got bitten. Are you once bitten, twice shy? We get the tiny geckos in or condos. Why they want to run in when the door is open is beyond me. Frank isn't up to fixing the weather strip flap on the bottom of their door downstairs so the geckos just run underneath it. For some reason, the builder nailed the weather flaps into place on the bottom of the doors so it is impossible to remove them without removing the door. I removed mine because the weather strip was shredding but I replaced it with one which screws to the bottom of the door on the inside. It's white and doesn't even show. The geckos which do manage to make it inside end up dying and when I clean, I find little dried-up bodies (I call them fossils). Tweety once made quick work of one unfortunate one which came in. Getting eaten by a cat is probably less painful than dying of dehydration and starvation. When I can catch them, I throw them back outside. I've found I can't grab them by the tails as the tails just detach from their bodies. Then, the tails continue to jerk around for about an hour afterward. AACK!!!

Try the Kellogg's Bran Buds. It's only about $4 for a box from the cereal aisle. It only takes 1/3 cup to get 50 percent of your body's fibre requirement. As I mentioned, you pour milk on them, like any cereal, and they soften up so you don't have to chew them. They have turned my constipation around to regularity. BTW, fibre is also sold in a powder which you can add to any liquid; you don't have to eat the gummies. Constipation is miserable and unhealthy. Try the Bran Buds and let me know how they work. They could put a on your face.

My ex and I added a family room onto the back of our old house in Boulder. A friend, who was a commercial architect, designed it. It featured a cathedral ceiling with no rafters. My ex framed a wall, with a pocket built in to it against the old wall and another at the other end. We ordered a glue-lam beam which was delivered on a flat bed truck with a crane. They lifted the beam from the truck on the street, swung it over the house, and set it down in the pre-framed pockets perfectly. It was quite a sight to see. I'll never forget seeing that beam settle into the pockets. I did a lot of the work on that project and had my own hard hat and tool belt. It impressed the paper boy mightily. Guess he'd never seen a female construction worker. Aah, good times!

Well, Kids, I think the Whatever Herpes-Family Virus is on its way out. I was sickest yesterday and stayed in bed a good part of the day. I did get in one session of stretches/exercises. They are getting easier to do which probably means they aren't as effective. The one Yoga stretch I learned on You Tube remains the winner. It still stretches the lower back and I haven't even gone as low as I may be able to later. My PT Tech tried it and was amazed. He plans to add it to his workout treatment regimen.

Sad news--the kitties are going to have to go. I am so sleep deprived that I can't continue to keep them. During the night, they get bored and start with raising hell and being destructive. Come to find out, that's the major reason Julie decided she couldn't keep them, in addition to her health problems. We both gave it an honest try and we both love the cats but just aren't equipped to take care of them. Julie called Jeff because he was the one who originally took them and legally acted as their guardians. He works at a wildlife refuge and there are a lot of animal lovers there. We hope someone will take them. They need to be able to live outside when they want to in a safe environment. They could do that here if it were not for the nasty woman in our hood. If we can find no one, Jeff will have to take them to a no-kill shelter and they will have to be adopted together. There are several such places here. This is heartbreaking but I firmly believe I have to take care of myself first.

I see my Ortho doc tomorrow morning and I have my last two PT treatments this week. I'm sick of running to appts. and paying co-pays. I just hope that, in time, these stretches and exercises heal my back. Love to everyone,

Rock: I guess you must have had a BD.........are you still 49? LOL. My neighbor told me the other day she's still 70......which I'm turning in 6 months. I had really hoped and was thinking positive that I could go to Hawaii and fly over the volcano in a helicopter, but just don't see that miracles happening.

Those snake lizards don't bother me OUTSIDE but I HAVE gotten one or two inside then I turn into a freaking screaming basket case. Ouch.......do they have little teeth or what? I might have mentioned that I had a 3' lizard put onto my shoulder to have my pic. taken with him......hmmmmm......guess he must have been tame from birth/hatching.

Mikie: I'm sorry about the cats.......we all totally understand. That's why I had to toss my cats out of the BR a few years ago and keep the door closed. Lack of sleep and asthma from the fur. It took awhile for them to understand, especially with the two sided tape on the carpets by the doorway.

And keep up with those stretches.....your body loves them and has gotten some healing from them.

My DH went to PT yesterday, came home with a stretch covering over his knee. Then later on I noticed a really swollen ankle and now he tells me he's had it for at least 2 weeks. WhAT? I'm angry that he didn't think to show it to the oncologist on Wed. nor the PT guy yesterday!!!!!!! Where's that little icon that shows a person banging their head against the wall!!!!! I just can't keep continuing to monitor his actions.

Rock - Yes, there is Benefiber or the generic you can get probably form most drug/grocery stores. Not sure what stores you have in your area but drug stores should have Benefiber or generic brand which is a very light white fine powder you can punt in any drink or food. There is no taste what so ever and dissolves quickly. I put it I my tea every morning. That and the magnesium has been very helpful to me. I still remember that dreaded enema bag that I had quite quickly when I was a child.

Mikie - So sorry you are feeling so bad and that you have to give the kitties away. I know it is a hard decision for you to have to make but your health is so important. I know you have been trying, Did you try putting them out for a longer period at night that you had mentioned??

Sun - What is it with these guys and why they forget to tell things to the docs, etc. who are supposed to be caring for them ?? Somehow they think we/you are person who can read minds, etc. and know everything that is gong on with them and their bodies especially when they are ill. Hang in there sweetie, I know it is a very hard road and you have been doing so well, even though we cannot see you banging your head against the wall or whatever. Hope things will get much better for your DH soon and then you will be feeling much better too.

Spring Water - I hope you are feeling OK and wit so NRG on these hot days for you. Miss hearing from you too.

Jam - It looks like you were posting or writing when I was !! I came back and "edited" Hope you are feeling as well as you possible can, today.

Just went to church this morning and then spent half the afternoon trying to get on line to try and figure out one of my CC bills. Finally got that taken care of. Need to get off here as I know DH wants the computer too.

Thanks for trying to post a video, Julie. I have never seen this sort of pre fab building
technique before. Good thing you and Red Mitten were there to supervise. If Den is
using a boom truck, does that mean you can have a housing boom even if you only
put up one building?

Looking back, very little was built in our village when I was growing up. Over
a period of about 2 decades, 4 new businesses were built: the Chevy dealership;
the bank; the motel; and an A & W Root Beer stand. I think maybe 3 new houses
were built. One was pre fab. The walls looked they were made of turquoise plastic.
And one of the 3 wealthy guys in town had a new house built as a show piece for
his son, the newly graduated architect. It was the most beautiful place in town.
Built of some tan stone (not our native limestone) with modern, dynamic lines
and a dramatic angular roof. I bet it still looks modern and impressive today.

I just looked for the kitty I stopped feeding. Turns out Gordon as been putting
out some food for her. I thought I'd give her some food, but not let her get
near me.

I read up on cat fever. It can cause a wide range of problems including headaches,
swollen lymph nodes, joint pains, etc. And, the really scary part, it can be fatal
for people with a compromised immune system. Does that include us? It
applies to people who have had chemotherapy or have AIDS.

Yup, Lorraine and I will be having a significant day except we just ignore holidays
and birthdays. I used to give Gordon a card. The last 2 years I've made a card. And
we used to go out to dinner, but I can't sit that long nowadays. But I hope Lorraine
has a nice party and everyone has happy memories.

Granni and Mikie, thanks for the info. I'll have to try the Benefiber. But what if it makes
me play the violin like Jack Benny? And the Bran Buds. Maybe I'll like it and we'll become
best buds. Then we'll have "Love in Bloom", yes?

Sorry the kitties have to go, Mikie. I know you are too. I am continually amazed at
your computer skills, building and repair know how, electronic savvy, etc. In our
house nobody could do nothin'. My dad was a great (but messy) cook. My mother hated
to clean up after him. The worst was was when he brought home fish that his drinking
buddies had caught on the Mississippi. My mother said there were even fish scales on
the ceiling. I remember one night he decided in the midst of fixing a roast that he
needed a place to hang a pot holder. He drove a nail right through said pot holder thus
affixing it securely to the wall. Was he drunk? Of course.

Sunflower, aren't men the most exasperatin'? Gordon and have had the same dr.
for the last several years. When I go to the dr., he goes to. Well, he has drive. Then
when we get in the office he turns into chatty Kathy. I never have to worry about
forgetting to tell the doc something.

Maybe your DH was raised in the days when men were taught not to complain or
admit weakness or, worst of all, cry. One of the few good things about being old and
retired is that, for the most part, I don't have to worry about what other people think
of me. They don't even know me anymore. And I wouldn't care if they did.

Ah ha. I see Mikie is here. Well, I'll let her put up the "This volume is closed" notice.